Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier

Context
Vivian Maier (February 1, 1926 – April 21, 2009) was an American street photographer born in New York City. Consistently taking photos over the course of five decades, she would shoot most of them in Chicago and New York City. Vivian Maier had a dark room where she would produce black and white photos, however she did end up progressing onto coloured pictures. She would mainly take pictures of people and landscapes but she replaced these with objects when she began taking colour pictures. Maier’s photos also betray an affinity for the poor, arguably because of an emotional kinship she felt with those struggling to get by. Her travels to search out the exotic caused her to seek out the unusual in her own backyard as well. 

Photography

This photo taken by Maier shows a man holding a mirror and her reflection can be seen in it but his isn't as visible. This photo makes you think because when you look into the reflection on the mirror you see a woman but the woman can't be seen behind the mirror. It took me a while to realise that the reflection of the woman was actually Vivian Maier behind the camera. This can also be perceived as surreal because when you look in the mirror you would expect to see the man's reflection. The photo relates to the context of Vivian Maier because she was into taking pictures of the less fortunate and the streets of America. This relates to this because she has taken a picture on a street which looks like a poorer area and she has shown a man working who looks less fortunate as his clothes show us that he is poorer. This image links to reflection because the main focus of the image is the mirror. I can use ideas like this in my work but in a different way because I can get people to hold mirrors so I can take pictures of their reflections.

This photo taken by Vivian Maier shows her to be taking a picture in a window looking out on her reflection so she  is the main focus of the image. This photo is clever because when we look at the image we see peacefulness because it looks like nothing is going on but when we look in the background we can see cars and people so we change our opinion and imagine the noises of a busy street. This photo links to the context of Vivian Maier because she was a street photographer and she has incorporated the street in the image and she took pictures mainly of the street. This image links to reflection because we are looking at a reflection. She has taken this picture well because although it is in a window we can see her clearly. I can take her ideas from this image by taking pictures in windows or mirrors showing myself but with a good background like the way she has.

This photo taken by Maier shows a woman and two children walking down a path with their reflection being shown in a puddle. I like this photo because although the image is black and white it doesn't look dull or unhappy because we can see the sun and the children in the image look like they are having fun. This photo links to the context of Vivian Maier because she was a street photographer and she liked to take pictures of the less fortunate. This was taken on a street and the people in the photo don't look like they are rich. This image links to reflection because we can see the peoples reflection in the puddle clearly. The reflection is the main focus of the image because the puddle is in the majority of the image. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can take pictures of reflections in puddles or water.

Progression

To progress this photographer further I will try to incorporate some of her ideas in my work such as the street photography and the reflections. 

Reflection and Framing Work Diary

Reflection

Evaluation

I took images that related to reflection, some of the image turned out well but others didn't work as well as I would've liked them too.

This is one of my best images because it works well with the reflection idea as we can see his reflection clearly and it is the only part that we focus on. With reflection the different attitudes of the person gives the picture a deeper meaning. In this image the deeper meaning of the image is that he is looking into his own eyes which can make us think maybe he's trying to see the person he really is. People could interpret this image very differently, they could have their own opinions.

This is one of my best images because his reflection is the main focus of the image and it stands out. The focus of this image works well because the reflection is the only part in focus. This image also has a deeper meaning. The fact that his arm is incorporated in this image helps us realise that he is doing his hair whilst looking in the mirror. This makes the image link to vanity because he is only looking at himself and unaware of what is happening around him. The fact that this is only a small mirror could show that he is small minded as he only cares about himself. This image could also be interpreted differently by other people.

This image isn't one of my best images. I tried to use different surfaces that I could see a reflection in but this one hasn't worked the way I would've liked it to. Next time if I use this idea again I will maybe use different surfaces that has a reflection because this one wasn't as clear as I would've liked it to be. I think I could've also used less of a wider angle and zoomed in a bit more to focus on the reflection more.

Progression

After taking the pictures I put some of my images into Photoshop and edited them to progress them.

     

To edit this image I selected the section outside the mirror and made it black and white. I think the edited version of this image is better than the original version because it makes the meaning deeper. I said that the meaning of this image was vanity and making it black and white adds to this meaning because it shows that he isn't paying attention to the rest of the world he is only focused on himself. To progress this image further I could've made the different sections black and white and change it up so it gives another meaning.

     

To edit this image I selected the area outside the mirror and made it black and white. By making the outside black and white we are drawn into the image because we want to look at what is going on. I think the edited version of this image is better because it focuses more on the reflection. In the original image we were drawn to the whole picture because the greenery around the outside also attracts out eyes, but by editing the image we are then only drawn to the reflection. To further progress this image I could've made the reflection black and white and made the greenery stand out more so that the black and white stands out even more.

     

To edit this image I made the whole thing black and white. By changing it to black and white it gives a better effect because it makes us think about the image more. I think the edited image is better because it gives more meaning to the image. The black and white effect gives a different feel to the image, it makes us feel duller because the original image has more colour in it. To progress this image further I could've edited different sections of the image in black and white. Also, when taking the image I could've focused on the mirror rather than her.

     

To edit this image I selected the mirror and mad it black and white, then increased then saturation of the image to make him stand out more. I think the edited version is better than the original version because it gives more meaning. I said that this image showed that he was looking at himself and not recognising himself. The edited image gives more meaning because it shows him to be looking at a black and white version of himself, this shows that he doesn't recognise himself at all. By editing the image it gives it a deeper meaning. To progress this image further I could've made different sections of the image black and white or focused on him rather than his reflection.

     

To edit this image I made it black and white. By making it black and white the reflection on the water becomes bolder and stands out more. Also the ripples become bolder which adds to the sense of surrealism. The edited version of the image is better because surrealism is more existent. The image is surreal because the statue's reflection isn't a copy of the statue it is distorted by the ripples. To progress this image further I could've zoomed in more on the statue and the reflection because then it would've been even more bolder.

Next time when taking pictures to do with reflection I will consider these improvements and try and take better images.

Framing

Evaluation

I took images relating to framing, some of the image turned out well but others didn't work as well as I would've liked.

I think this is one of my best images because it shows a frame well as we only focus on the tree. I think this image works well because we are guided into the middle of the picture to look at the man focus. Also, the hand shape is similar to the shape of the tree which could give us a deeper meaning. This could show that the hands have power because they almost have the world in between them. We are almost seeing the work from the hands perspective. The focus of this image also helps it because the tree is in focus well.

I think this is one of my best images because the frame in the image has worked well because we can see the landscape clearly and we are drawn into the trees in the background. The fact that the fence that we are looking through is dull and not colourful helps us become drawn into the trees because it is the only bit of colour in the picture. I think the focus of the image also helps contribute to the framing idea because we only want to focus on what it inside the frame and this helps contribute to that.

I think this is not one of my good images because the frame of the image isn't clear enough. If I had zoomed in more then the frame would've been more clear. Next time I would've taken it more closer up to focus around one of the shapes and cut out the frame of the window. Although this didn't work the way that I wanted it to the focus of the image could still relate to frame because the foreground isn't in focus but the background is in focus. 

Progression

After taking the images I put the pictures in Photoshop to edit them so that I can progress them further.

     

To edit this image I selected the area outside the mirror and made it black and white. By making the outside of the frame black and white the inside of the frame stands out more. I think the edited version of this image is better than the original version because in the edited version we are only focused on what is inside the frame whereas in the original image we can easily be distracted by what's outside the frame. To progress this image on I could've made different sections of the image black and white to create a different effect and meaning.

     

To edit this image I selected the area outside the frame and made it black and white. By making the rest of the image black and white we are just focused on the tree because it is the only part of the image that shows colour. I think the edited image is better than the original image because it represents frame better as we are only focused on what is inside the frame whereas in the original image we can be easily distracted. To progress this image further I could've edited it where different sections are black and white.

     

To edit this image I selected the frame and made it black and white, I also saturated the image. By making the fence black and white the landscape in the frame becomes more bolder and stands out more. By saturating the image also makes the trees stand out more. I think the edited version of the image is better because the frame is more clear and bolder. To progress the image further I could've edited different sections of the image to be black and white to create a different meaning or effect.

     

To edit this image I cropped it slightly and made everything in the diamond shape black and white. By cropping the image slightly it helps us focus on the frame of the image instead of other elements in the picture. By making the inside of the frame black and white we are instantly attracted to see what is inside the frame. Also by making it black and white makes use look on the outside of the frame too. As well as this I also decreased the outside of the frames contrast slightly to make it duller to mirror what is inside the frame. To progress this image further I could edit different parts of the image black and white.

     

To edit this image I made everything outside the frame black and white. By making everything outside the frame black and white we can focus in on what is going on inside the frame. I think the edited version of the image is better than the original image because it brings a different feel to the image. The black and white around the outside of the frame make it seem dull and dark but when you look inside the frame it appears bright and colourful. To progress this image further I could've edited it further to make it black and white in different places.

Next time if I get to take images linked to framing I will use these ideas to progress my images.

Reflection and Framing Contact Sheet

Reflection

Framing

Reflection and Framing Straight Images

Reflection

I took this image because I think it showed reflection well because you can see his reflection in the mirror. I think this is a good image because we can see the reflection clearly. In this image I focussed in on the reflection rather than him. I think it was better to show him looking at himself in the image because it gives a better effect to the image. The angle of the picture is good because we can see him and his reflection well. This picture has good meaning because we can interpret from the image that he is looking at his reflection for several different reasons.

I took this image because I think it shows reflection well because we can see her and her reflection but it has been blurred. By blurring the reflection I think it gives a greater meaning that if we didn't blur it. I focussed on her rather than the reflection because it could show that she doesn't know who she is anymore, it gives it a deeper meaning. I think the angle of this image is good because we can see the full reflection and her but it is blurred, the angle helps the blur. 

I took this image because I think it shows reflection well because we can see the reflection in the mirror. I think this image is good because we wouldn't normally take images in these sorts of mirrors but it worked well. I think the fact that the trees surround the mirror makes us focus in more on the mirror because we are not attracted to the outside of the mirror. Also I think that the red and white stripes around the mirror make it more bolder and more attracting to the eye because we are drawn into looking in the mirror. 

I took this image because we can see his reflection in the mirror well. I think this image has a good deep meaning because he is doing his hair and looking into the mirror which could reflect vanity. The focus on the image worked well because we are only drawn to his reflection as it is the only part that is in focus. Also, the focus of the image helps add to the meaning because we can say that he is only drawn to his own reflection and nothing else.

I took this image because I was drawn into the reflection of the statue onto the water. I think this image represents reflection well because we can see the reflection of the statue on the water well. The ripples of the water add to the sense of surrealism because the reflection isn't an exact copy of the statue as the ripples have distorted it. I think the angle of this image is good because we can see the reflection well. 

Framing

I took this image because it shows frame well. The way that the trees are in focus and the window markings aren't show frame well because we are able to just focus on the trees through the window. I think the fact that the trees are in the distance but they are in focus gives the image a deeper meaning as the foreground of the image is not in focus. I think this image turned out well because it shows frame well because we are focused what is inside the shape.

I took this image because I think it shows frame well because we are drawn in to looking through the shape of the hands. I think this image works well because the hands reflect the shape of the tree. The fact that the background is in focus helps relate to frame because we are only drawn to looking at what we can see in focus. Also the fact that the hands are not in focus helps relate to frame too because we know that this is the unimportant part of the image.

I took this image because it relates to frame as we focus on the clouds rather than anything else because nothing else is in focus. This relates to frame because we only care about what it inside the shape being made by the hands. I like this image because it has a deep meaning which is added to by the focus of the image, by making the hands not in focus helps as we only care about the clouds. The shape helps to add effect because we can see a lot through the shape and it is big enough to help us focus on what is behind the shape.

I took this image because although it shows reflection it also shows frame. The way that we are only drawn into the mirror adds to the frame because we are drawn to what is inside the shape. The fact that the rest of the image isn't in focus helps add to the frame effect because we only focus on the the focussed parts of the image. I think this is a good image because the area that the frame is in stands out. 

I took this image because I think this shows frame well as we can see through the gap a tree and it is the only thing in focus in the image. I think this image works frame really well because we only see a part of the landscape but the part we see draws us in and makes us want to see more. This picture turned out well because the focus of the image shows frame as the foreground isn't in focus but the background is in focus as this is the bit we only want to see. The fact that the fence acting as a frame is dull and boring makes the tree stand out more.

Framing Mindmap

Reflection and Framing Image Bank

Reflection

I chose this picture because I think it shows reflection well because the puddle produces a reflection of the building next to it. I chose this image because I like the puddle effect and there is not a lot going on in the picture which helps us focus in on the main aspect. Also, I think the colours helps in this pictures because the blues make it seem brighter and draws us in. From this image I can take the use of the puddle and the angle that it is taken at. I can use this in my work by using a reflection in a puddle from a building or another object also I can use the angle that this is taken at by making the reflection more visible.

This image shows reflection well because although we cannot see the clear reflection in the persons eye we know that a reflection is there because of the lighter area we can see. I chose this picture because I think that it is a good idea as they have used the human form to try and create the reflection. I can use ideas from this image in my work because I can take pictures of people's eyes to try and focus in on the reflection that we can see. Also, this picture can help me think of better things to take pictures of and think about things that I wouldn't originally have thought of when linking it to reflection.

This image shows reflection well because the puddle that can be seen is presenting the mans and the buildings reflection well. I chose this image because I like the way that although he is taking the photo he is also incorporating himself in his own photo by being in the reflection of the puddle. I also like how there isn't much going on around the puddle but when you focus in on the puddle there is a lot going on and more to focus on. 

This image shows reflection because we can see the building being reflected onto the table. I chose this image because I like how we are drawn to looking at the table. I also like how the rest of the image is boring and dull but when you look into the table it makes the picture more intriguing. I can use ideas from this photo in my work because I can form reflections in different places that we wouldn't think of straight away. 

This image shows reflection because we can see the hand being reflected into the mirror. I chose this image because I like that it isn't a whole person being reflected in the mirror which is what would normally happen. I like that it is someones arm and hand but you can't see the rest of them, it draws us in because we want to see what the person is like, we want to put a face to the hand. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can reflect different things in the mirror that we wouldn't think of straight away.

Framing

This image shows frame because the hands are creating a frame and almost directs us into the focus of the image. I choose this image because I liked how the hands are acting as a frame and we can see clearly what the camera has focussed on. I also like the contribution of the sun in this image because it makes us feel welcomed into the picture. We are also welcomed into the picture by the way the hands are showing a heart which symbolises love. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can get someone to make shapes with their hands and focus on what is in the shape. 

This image shows frame because we focus on the tree and the landscape that we can see inside the frame. I chose this image because I like the way that we can see what is inside the frame but we can also see what is around the frame. This helps us be drawn into the middle of the frame because the outside is boring compared to what is happening inside the frame. I can use ideas from this image because I can get someone to hold a frame and focus on what is going on inside the frame.

This image shows frame because we can see what is happening inside the wing mirror clearly. This can be seen as a frame because we are only drawn to what is happening in the frame rather than what we can see on the inside. I chose this image because it isn't like any of the other pictures that incorporated frame. I like that we can see what is behind us because it is a mirror. As well as frame this can also incorporate reflection. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can take pictures in cars wing mirrors. 

This image shows frame because we are focusing in on the shapes of the windows and what we can see out of them. I chose this image because I liked how there is 3 windows together showing the view. Although there is 3 windows when we look at them they all merge into one because we focus in on what we can see through the windows rather than the windows themselves. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can take picture through windows and focus on what is on the outside.

This image shows frame because the shape of the gate acts as a frame to focus in on the building. I chose this image because I like how everything outside the shape is blurred but the building which is the main focus in clear. The fact that this image is in black and white make us think more about the image such as whether it is from a long time ago or is it a modern picture. I can use ideas like this in my work because I can take pictures of something through a shape and make the camera focus just on what we can see through the shape.